4 deck mixing and noobs

[derjay]

awesome ideas guys keep them comming!

[xtianw]

sticky?

[Abyrne7]

I am not a pro but I find when I want to make really quick transitions 3 deck mixing can be useful instead of scurring through your playlist trying not to miss the down beat of your next track

[sarasin]

Hey guys this is a great topic.

I really love multideck playing. My approach is very simple, but works very good for me. The things I gain with this technique vs the normal 2 deck mixing approach, is basically that I have more time to think, so I create better mixes, so the overall mix is a bit unpredictable by the crowd so its more enternaining. Also I have the opportunity to use more tracks in less time and the most important thing... I am enjoying myself so much that everybody can tell.

My approach if anyone is interested (and with this I am revealing my secret technique lol...) is that I use multidecks more as a workflow enhancer. I create a cycling work-flow that keeps me going with sick mixes for hours, without using much preparation. I only beatgrid and create a load point for my tracks nothing else. My regular approach is the following and I will explain with only 3 decks to make it simpler.
First I will load 3 tracks on deck A-B-C. Then I would get deck A playing while I loop (4 to 8 bars) the load point of the tracks at deck B and C.
Then I would start mixing deck A with deck B. While deck B track keeps going... Using the eqs I will mix them and eq deck A just to leave a small complamainting sound for deck B and I will create a loop on deck A, normally towars approaching the conclusion of the track. It coule be a vocal loop a blip, or just a percussive loop. So that loop keeps running on deck A and I can controll it with my eqs.
At this point Deck B is playing along with this new looped element from deck A. Now is when the magic comes... instead of needing to stop deck A to load my next track I will start re equing deck B while mixing it with deck C. So now I have deck C playing with deck B which is alredy complemented by deck A.
So you see what I am doing? I am using deck A and B in this case as a single track.

Now my next step will depend of what is the next track I have in mind. I will keep equing the deck A or B depending of the element I want to keep and cut one deck out (lets say deck A to keep this circular motion). Now I have deck B and C playing along while I have time to load my new track on deck A and loop the load point again as in the first step. Like that the process starts again. I keep going like this a long time. In my system Deck D is used for special cases.. not all the time. You will know when you need it.

So as a conclusion don´t overwork it. Create your own workflow so its yours and go deck by deck.

A good quote by mr hawtin is something like "If I mix 4 of my favorite tracks together I will end with one of my worst non favorite track " You need to know what do you want to do with your mix.
So there are many approaches B33son´s is not the only approach.

Cheers!

Nice!

This is very similar to my approach.

[chriscg554]

This is so true! but i want to ask one question... how does richie hawtin do it? like seriously that guy is in incredible when it comes to 4 decks? ive been trying to study for almost 3 months and i still dont know how he does it.. i guess it takes time

[kbridge]

Nice one guys. Generally i'll stick to two main decks and use deck C for some crazy drug related samples.

elaborate on what kind of samples you're talking about?

[kbridge]

To revive this post - how the hell does Andy C use SIX decks?! I'm not as into Drum and Bass as I used to be, but I can never understand the need for SIX decks?!

[AllDay]

Nice one guys. Generally i'll stick to two main decks and use deck C for some crazy drug related samples. Lately now that i've been doing some lower tempo stuff i've been shifting the samples over to deck d and using deck c as the "bonus deck". what i mean is i might bring the percussion in from deck c half way through the first track, leave that going and mix in to deck b, leaving out the lows from track b for example. There are lots of way to do stuff like this its all just experimentation, but if it works, go for it!

Exactly the way I use my c and d decks. I treat it like effects. Lightly and well placed

[johney]

from 1hr 52 min on
check 2:05 for some 4 deck action


gets a bit messy at times, but you get the idea, T! is a don

To revive this post - how the hell does Andy C use SIX decks?! I'm not as into Drum and Bass as I used to be, but I can never understand the need for SIX decks?!

check the video above
he probably just flicks between them like T! does

[MYE]

I have a few rules that I use when 3-4 deck mixing.
Setup is X1, S4, Maschine, Ableton.

Mix with the line faders.
Mix in key.
Use the EQ's.
Don't overdo it, keep it simple.
Use the Maschine to add percussion that is missing.
Use simple effects (delay, reverb).
Stay focused.
Keep a steady tempo and atmosphere.

Here's a 3-4 deck mix i did